Happiness Now

70 Marbles
“If only, if only," the woodpecker sighs,


"The bark on the tree was as soft as the skies."


While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely,


Crying to the moo-oo-oon,
"If only, If only.”
Louis Sachar, “Holes”

    Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time with some successful people, ones that have grown up homes with kitchen cupboards that don’t slam shut, toilet seats that go down on their own, and amazing lack of clutter.  As I strolled through the art-filled spacious rooms, I thought, “I can see myself in a home like this.” Yet there is one important caveat to that statement, the owners didn’t seem happy. I want to be happy. 
    Now we all know the adage, “Money doesn’t buy happiness” but if it’s one of the glaring insufficiencies in your life, it seems like it would help. Yet, I have unwittingly built a cause and effect framework around my happiness that goes something like this, “If only, if only I could have the career that I want and a lover/partner that I want, then I’d be happy.” I have a cart full of happiness right now and I’m waiting around for a horse to drag it off. Furthermore, if I can’t be happy now, chances are no permutation or combination of life events will be able to make me happy in the future. Sure, an enhanced career might be the icing on the cake but if the cake isn’t good, no amount of icing will fix it. 
    Abraham Lincoln said, “Most of us are about as happy as we make up our minds to be.” So the question is, how can I  bring more happiness into my life right now?  A shift of perception would help - I’ve been thinking that I’m planting seeds that will reap happiness in the future when actually, I could be happy with the planting process.  It’s a matter of learning to appreciate the multitudinous happy moments of the now. Scratch the “if only” statements and cultivate happiness now.

What would it take stop and appreciate the “Happiness is…” parts of your everyday?